I was thinking about attending a private school to take my bachelors in Web Design and Interactive Media, just wanting to know if it was worth it? I figure with the rise of smart phones and apps that it would be a goldmine opportunity in the future.

I agree with miles. People graduating from colleges aren't even getting jobs and if they do they are underpaid for the position they are filling. So in my opinion I'd stick to this being a hobby and get a job where you can get paid upon graduation good $ that is. If it's web design then go for it, but my guess is a private college is going to be expensive and debt is not what our graduating students need.

I figure with the rise of smart phones and apps that it would be a goldmine opportunity in the future.

It depends on your focus... interactive multimedia type courses tend not to be technical enough to do serious development. You'll probably work primarily in the art department or in a graphics design studio.

As for web designer, might be better to get a more generalized degree in graphics design.

If you're serious about building smart phone apps, a Computer Science degree or community college programming course will probably prepare you better.

Be guided by doing what you love as much as possible. Look for opportunities to gain experience sooner than later through volunteering or internships. Evaluate the value of highly branded or otherwise expensive education very critically. Good luck!

It depends on your focus... interactive multimedia type courses tend not to be technical enough to do serious development. You'll probably work primarily in the art department or in a graphics design studio.

As for web designer, might be better to get a more generalized degree in graphics design.

If you're serious about building smart phone apps, a Computer Science degree or community college programming course will probably prepare you better.

There is some wisdom here... I think you need to be more specific in what you want to do, so you can be more targeted in what you need to learn.

Are you looking for Interaction design / user experience?

Front end web development?

Is there profit in this industry? yes. there can be a lot if you have the right skills.

Are there many schools that have any sense of the right skills to teach? no.

You should do what you enjoy, not what you think will get you the most money.

I wish more people would give this advice to aspiring young minds. The designers, artists, and developers that "cash in" don't get there just because they know how to code or went to school for it. These are extremely motivated and creative people who LOVE (not like) what they do and don't necessarily care about the money part (they know the money will come eventually). That's what gets them and their products noticed. Not their education. If you have a big idea that your passionate about then carve your path with that in mind. You may find that you can accomplish what you want by sitting down with some tutorials and doing a bunch of reading. I love what I do and it shows through my designs. That's how I "cashed in". Post secondary is not always needed.

I've done quite a bit of web programming, and I'm 100% self taught. I looked into programs similar to what you're describing, and from what I can tell, the resources available to you online are so vast, that it makes little sense to go to a school to study it. Many people are willing to mentor or help out, and there's a lot of forum support for what you have trouble understanding.

That all said, I am at a point where I'd like to take some classes in more advanced programming (ie. to further interactive web site creation)... but I'm really trying to move closer to the iPhone itself an Apps. Like you said, it's the way a lot of things are going, not to mention once you learn it, it's a little more universal (vs. trying to fix a website for every browser and all the different quirks they have.... ).

Just my 2 cents

EDIT:

On the topic of cashing-in, that's something that is a secondary to me, except when I actually need money. I've had website clients on and off before, and I'd need to keep two a month or so if I want to live off of that work.. but it's a lot of work when you're a one man job. The competition from cheap companies overseas makes it tricky to make a living unless you're REALLY good at the design aspect or customer service. If you're planning to make your entire living off of web services, it might be stressful, but its your call if its worth it or not.

this is a profession you need experience in then maybe specialized school in marketing. itd be a waste to fork out money when there are a bajillion websites with tutorials available and more current than most college curriculum.